Current-motor



1. F. LAYcooK.

CURRENT MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.B. 1918.

@KM-m Q u J. F. LAYCOOK.

CURRENT MOTOR.`

APPLICATION FILED Auml, 1918.

MES-@$199, Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

' s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F1 5r. I5- m W/T/VESSES J. F. LAYCOOK.

CURRENT MOTOR.

APPucATloN min Auc.8.1918.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J. F. LAYCOOK.

'CURRENT MOTOR.4

APPucATloN HLED Auc.,191s.

1 ,S32-,299. Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

6 SHEETS- SHEET 4.

[NVE/WOR @fm-i A TTHNEYS 1. I. LAYCOOK. CURRENT MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-8.1918.

1,332,299. Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5. .9

J. F.`LAYCO0K.

CURRENT MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED Amm, 191s.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6 A TTOHNEVS vso n' UNFFED STATES PATENT FFCE.

JOHN FRANKLIN LAYCOOK, 0F HUNTINGDN, TENNESSEE.

CURRENT-MOTOR.

`Application led August 8, 1918.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN F. LAYCOOK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Huntingdon, in the county of Carroll and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and Improved Current-Motor, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to water motors and particularly to what may be termed a current motor, and has for an object the provision of an improved construction which will utilize either a fast or slow moving body of water to produce power capable of use in commercial pursuits.

Another object of the invention is to provide a current motor forming a single element or structure which may be used alone or in connection with similar elements or structures. i

A further object of the invention is to provide al current motor which will utilize either deep or shallow water which is mov ing through the provision of an improved arrangement of substantially horizontal movable planes and connecting parts for transmitting the motion of the planes into a rotary motion.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of La current motor disclosing an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. i). is a longitudinal Vertical section through Fig. 1 online 22.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional View through the upper part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1.d

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view through Fig. 3 on line 4 4.

Fig. is a fragmentary View similar to Fig. 4 disclosing how the re-setting knobs operate the clutches embodying certain features of the invention.

Fig. 6 is an edge view of one of the brackets and associate parts shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a section through Fig. 8 on line Fig. S is a top plan view of the associate parts shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a detail fragmentary sectional view through Fig. 14 on line 9-9.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9, but disclosing the parts in the neXt position ocplane and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

Serial No. 248,950.

cupied to that shown in Fig. 9, the same being taken on line 10-10 of Fig. 14.

Fig. 11v is a view similar to Fig. 10 but showing a still further position of the respective parts, the same being taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 14.

, Fig. 1'2 is a detail fragmentary View showing a pa-wl and ratchet structure em bodying certain features of the invention.

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 11, but showing the parts in a further different position occupied when the parts are about to release the power plane for another trip.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged sectional view through Fig. 1 on line 14-14.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view through Fig. 14 on line 15-15.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, 1 indicates a specially prepared fiume which is substantially U-shaped in cross section, said flume having a pair of grooves 2 vand 3 on each side extending for the full length of the flume so as to accommodate the various guiding rollers 4 on the planes 5 and 6 which act as the power inembers of the motor. These planes move back and forth for half the length of the flume 1 and act successively whereby the power shaft Z is continually rotated, said planes being connected therewith as hereinafter fully described. Plane 5 is provided with a frame S to which a cable 9 is secured in anyr desired manner7 said cable passing over a guiding pulley 10 and a guiding pulley 11 and from thence to the drum 12 around which it is passed one or more times as may be desired and then over the guidingpuh ley 13 to a point 14 where it is fastened again to the frame S. TvVhen the water is pressing against the plane 5 the cable 9 will be pulled so as to travel as indicated by the arrow 15 while the part of the cable counected at 14 will be paid out as indicated by the arrows 16. Only one cable 9 has been described, but as shown in Fig. 1, 'there are two cables provided, and as these cables and associate parts are identical the description of one will equally apply to the other, there being two that the structure may be more evenly balanced. The plane 6 on the down stream side of the flume 1 is provided with a frame 17 to which the cable 18 is secured, said cable passing over pulleys 19 and 20 and a small guiding pulley 21 to the drum- 22 and around the drum oneor more times.

From drum 22 cable 18 passes downwardly over the guiding pulley 23, from thence back to the frame 17 where it is connected at 24 to said frame. I 9 is operating as shown in Fig. 2, andas just described, cable 18 will be paying out its upper section as indicated by arrow 25V and will be drawing in the section indicated by the arrow 26. lt will thus be seen that theplane 6 and associate parts are idlewhen moving 'back 5to the position' topbegin its power stroke while plane 5 is moving on" its powerstroke. Assoon as plane 5has accomplished its `full power stroke as hereinafterdescribed, the water willbe ,released and engage plane `6v and move same toward the discharge or downstream lend 27 of flume 1, and as it isfmoved the sectiony of cable 18 indicated by `arrow .26 will be pulledl sofas tofrotate the drum 22 in the proper :direction for giving a continuous rotation tto v shaftf7v inthe same direction `that it wasrotated by pOWer transmitted from plane F5.

In Figs. 1 and 2the motor Vis shown tvv-ith the planes5 andv 6 and associateparts positioned midway ofthe stroke of plane 5, while iniFig. 3 an enlarged detail view is disclosed wherein it is illustrated vhow the partsuoperate just as-and during the period when thel plane '5has completedits stroke and when the plane'6 is aboutto begin its power'stroke. ln this view plane 5 is lshown -as;engaging` the rel-easing stops 28; which are slidably mounted onsuitable `guiding bear ingsj29, which are connected with the bell cranlc levers 30hy the usual bolts 31 eX- tending throughslots 32in lthe respective levers. The respective levers 3:0are provided with pivotal pins i or bolts 313, which eX tendsthroughthe cross bar 34 of flume'l `as shownl in Fig. V4,` and are rigidly secured to an .arm 35 substantially the same'shape and sizeas .theshort leg ofilever` 30, said arm having an aperturetherein. as shown in Fig. 5,.. through whichthe sectionL of cable 9, indicated by,- the arrow 16 extends, so that the ballor stop 36 rigidly secured thereto at the proper place willengageithe .arm and movethe `same for shiftingthe long lleg of lever() to thevposition shown inFig. 3 when `Inoved therefrom, as hereinafter fully deythe, drum l2iand through apertures'in the clutch plate 40 keyed orotherwise rigidly In this way when the cable` cable, said drum is provided with an internal gear 4l which is designed to receive the pinion 42 .carried by rod43 mounted on suitable bearing` on one ofi the cross barss34. Agrooved sleeve `441is rigidly secured to shaft 43s() as toaccommodatethe pins 45 of lever 46 yas :shown more particularly in 4, whereby when the .bell ,crank lever 30 is moved vas `just described,` so. that the :parts will assume the dotted position shown in Fig. 3;, the y.pinion A42 will be moved into mesh 'withl gear, 41. A gear-47y is rigidly secui-edy to shaftZfand' continually meshes with the long-pinion 48y whereby the shaft 43' and associate parts mayy be moved `'back landi forth without-.pinion'lS beingfmoved kout of mesh with gear 47. Thesef gears; are'properly proportioned tofpay out the'bottom section of the cable-9-and pull inthe top section in proportion to the movement of the plane 6 so `that pla-ne 5will1be positively moved to the proper place for beginningv its stroke near the upstream end of flume` 1.

Simultaneously with the; shifting of the clutch 37 and associate yparts byfthe operation of stops 28 plane 6: on the downstream side of shaft 7 will movethe T-shaped lever 42through thek action of the bracket 50 rigidlysecured to the frame 17. Asbracket 50 moves in the direction of arrow 51 .the clutch 52 will be movedoversoithat the pins 53 will extend into the apertures 54 formerly occupied bytherpins 39` of drinn 12. The clutch 52 and associate parts are identical with-.the clutch 37,but2inove in. opposition thereto so as to connectthe pulleyaor drum 22 to shaft` `7 as soon as clutch: 37 releases drum 12. Thelonglegeof lever 49 is provided with a bifurcatedgbar having pins `coacting :witlrY lever 55 in i the` same manner` to the way lever SO-is made and coacts with lever A `46, so that no additional description will be needed, `except that the lever 55 shifts pinion56 into andoutof engagement with `an internal rack 57 carriedby the. druin22,

3, the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 9 with the power blade 60 locked in the vertical position by the vertically movable ,locking plate 61. The power blade is divided into three sections as shown in Fig. 14, namely, a central section 62 and side sections 63. These sections are provided and also other mechanism associated therewith whereby the side sections 63 will be first released when moved to the position shown in Fig. 3 and then' shortly thereafter the central section 62 will be released so that the water will more gradually act on plane 6. The releasing action for the central section 62 is the same as the side sections though a brief interval thereafter. As soon as the parts reach the position as shown in Fig. 9 the gear Wheel 6d meshes with a short rack 65 and as it passes thereover the parts are moved to the position shown in Fig. 10. As the gear wheel 64 rotates the shaft 66 consequently rotates the respective pinions 67. Each of the side pinions 67 meshes with a coacting pinion 68 whichv is rigidly secured to the respective shaft 69 to which the drums 70 and 71 are rigidly secured. Drum 70 is of greater diameter than drum 71 as it winds and then pays out a greater length of cable. Connected with the small drum 71 is a cable 72 which passes over an idler 73 and is secured at 74 to an arm 7 5. This arm is pivotally mounted at 76 on the frame of the plane 5. The end of the arm opposite the connecting point 74 carries idlers 77 and over which the cable 78 extends, said cable being rigidly secured to the large drum 70 and to the end 79 of a pushing lever 80, said pushing lever having a bent over hook end 81 and is pivotally mounted at 82 on arm 75 so that when the drums are rotated by action of rack 65 and the various gears `iust described, cables 72 and 78 will be slacked, but the lever S0 will not move 'down to the position shown in Fig. 10 until the long leg of the bell cranlc lever S3 strikes against the stationary stop 84e. When this occurs the rod 85 (Fig. 8) is pulled and consequently the bar 86 is swung on its pivotal point 87 whereby the pin 88 is moved to swing the arc-shaped rack 89 out of engagement with the pawl 90, which pawl is pivotally mounted on arm 75 and which is allowed a limited pivotal movement by the spring 91. As soon as the pawl 90 has been disengaged as just described the weight of the lever 8O and associate parts will cause the various parts to automatically move downwardly under the action of gravity to the position shown in 10 and at the same time bring the cables 72 and 7 8 under tension. The parts will remain in this position until the plane 5 has been moved toward the down stream end of the flume 1 a suicient distance for causing the end of bell crank lever 92 to engage the stop 93 whereupon the rod 94C will be lowered and the locking bar 61 lowered to a position out ofthe way of the blade 60, whereupon the blade 60 will move upwardly to the position shownin Fig. 11 and will move arm 75 and associate parts also to an upper position. t will be understood that blade G0 is divided into a number of sections as shown in Fig. 14, and that when it is stated that blade 60 will move up to the position shown in Fig. 11 it will be, of course, underv stood that the blade will move up as heretofore described. The sections 63 will move up first as they are associated with the levers 92 as shown in Fig. 3, while the central section 62 will move up a short time thereafter as the levers 92 associated therewith will engage the stops 93 after levers 92 have engaged the stops 93. This interval of time may be varied as desired by shifting the stops 93. When the parts have assumed the position shown in Fig. 11 the plane 5 has lreached the eXtreme end of its power stroke and has been released'for the return movement which is caused by the drums 12 pulling onthe sections indicated by arrow 15. 'When the plane 5 eventually reaches the upstream end of flume 1 the gear wheel 6st engages the rack 65 and moves the parts from the position shown in Fig. '1l to that shown in Fig. 13. It will be, of course, understood that the blade 60 is raised to a horizontal position by the action of the water so that when the raclr 65 is engaged for swinging` the arm 75 upwardly the hoch 81 will freely engage the outer end of the blade 60 and move the same substantially horizontally to the position shown in Fig. 13 where it rests upon the release arm 95. This release arm is held in an elevated position by the cable 96 which passes over suitable pulleys and which is held in proper position by the weight 97 whereby the release arm 95 is normally held in a horizontal position. A reciprocating catch 98 is held by a spring or by any other suitable means over the end of the weight 97 whereby when the weight of the blade 60 is resting on the release arm 95 said weight will not move upwardly and consequently said arm will not move downwardly. A pivotally mounted lever 99 loosely engages the catch 98 and is positioned in the path of movement of blade 60 so that when said blade has been moved for its full distance by the lever it will strike against the lever 99 and thereby cause the catch 98 to release weight 97. This will allow the blade 60 to move downwardly under the action of gravity and engage the water in such a manner that the water will swing the blade to a vertical position, the bar 61 stopping the swinging movement when the blade 60 has reached its vertical position.. This' completes the return stroke and places the'parts in lposition for `a second power stroke.`

Simultaneously with'the movement of lever 80, :and the release of the catch 98, .the stop or ball36 (Fig. 5) will engagefthearm and shift the same whereby thefbell crank lever 30will be shifted back fromV the dotted positionshownv in Fig. 3 to the full lineiposition-shown `in ,said `ligure, whereupon the secondpowerr stroke of the plane 5 will act to rotate the shaft 7 .in the same direction as before. Simultaneously'with the? action of the ball 36, as just described, the :ball or stop 100 (Fig. 5) willengage the short arm 101 of the lever 49 and shift `clutch so as to disengage the clutch diskfOrsubu stantially simultaneously with the engagement of said disk by clutch 37.

The down stream side of he motorfis the same as the upstream side with a'few7 slight modifications, so that no additional description will i be given therefor andthe same numerals will be used except for the slight.l

difference in construction. As shown in Fig. l the supporting release arm 95 is provided near the center of the flume for `the power blades of the lower'plane'f, said structure beingidenticalwith the member 95 yand associate parts-shown in Fig. 13. `Thel'ower blade '6,0'is preferably `made in one piece,

soithat the arm 75 and associate partsl'are arranged one at eachend of `the'blade instead ofat three different points `as shown in Fig. 14 for the` plane 5. llVhenthe plane 6 reaches the down stream end 27` of the fiume 1 rackf and the stop S4 will act in a similar manner to therack and stop Sel-as shown in Fig. 9 for releasing blade 60 so that thev plane 6 may return and be operated asshown in Fig. t 'so aste go through another power stroke.

. llt will be seen that yeachplane has two drums `and two*` cables, there being one'cable for each drum. These drums are inter mittenly connected with the shaft 7 sothat said shaft continually rotates in i a given direction. The sections are released as shownin Fig. 3 when reachingithe-endof the` power stroke, but by reasonv ofthe shaft` 66 extendingentirely acrossthe .plane 5 as shown 1n Fig. 14 the various `arms 75 are operated simultaneously for causing a simul-` taneous return of the various sections, whereby the bladeGO, as shown inFig. 13, will engage `the water and beginits power stroke. In addition to the rack 65 at the upstream end of the flume 1 stops 93 are provided for again movingthe bar 61 and associate Vparts to an upper or locked position. It will thusbe seen that when the water is turnedonto the, flume by any desired means, as for instanceby the opening of suitable gates the motor will`begin to runrand will continueto -run automatically aslong as theproper amount of water is` allowed'toflow through the, fiume. The moving of theiplanes inra horizontal direction and the backand :forth laction` thereof permits the Huse of a comparatively small amount of water `witl'it'a maximum power. Itlalsd-permitslthe use `of a comparatively small `continuous supply, asc-no water is necessary vexcept za suliicient quantity for filling Ithe flume 'in l.front 'of'the various blades.

Vha't Iclaim is: v f

1.1i current motor comprisingaflume, a pair of planes movable longitudinally ofthe iume,reach of said planes moving-'substantially one-half the distance 4of the flume with one plane 'returning from apower stroke during the time the other vplanefis on the power stroke, apair ofdrums for each .of-

saidr planes,va shaft extending through said drums, and a plurality of cablesfromy-each plane ktof-the drums, a clutch mechanism for connecting and `disconnecting the drums with said shaft, and means operated by the respective planes for shifting,said clutch mechanism upon the .completion of lthe powerstroke offeach of said planes.

2. A current motor comprising a flume, a

pair vof 1 planes `movable lengthwise ofthe i flume, a powershaft, a plurality of drums foreach of said planes, cables extending from said vdrums ito the respective planes,

whereby when the respective planes are on the power stroke sai drums will lbe vrotated, a clutch for eachof -said drums for connecting the drums with said shaft, means actuated by said planes when one of the planes has completedits power` stroke for shifting said clutches, and means i for releasingthe blades .of saidlplanes upon the completionoftheir strokes whereby thewater will raise the bladesto a horizontal position andvhold the samefin that 'positionduring the return stroke ofthe respective planes.

3. A current motor comprising ia substantially rectangular flume open at both ends and the top, said flume having guiding .grooves in each side wall, a pairof .oppositely movable 'planes Amounted in said flume, guiding membersextending from each yof said planes into the respective grooves :so las to guide the planes in their reciprocato'rymovement, `a power shaft arranged substantially centrally ofthe Vflume,a pairof'cable's connected at the opposite ends to said planes, a pair of drums for each of said planes around which said cables are looped so that each plane will a. A current motor `of the character described comprising a substantially rectangular flume open at both ends and the top, each side of said flume having a pair of spaced grooves, a pair of planes arranged in said flume, guiding means connected to each of said planes extending into said grooves whereby the planes are guided in their reciprocatory movementJ and are prevented from rotary movement, a power shaft, and means connecting the power shaft with said planes for transmitting power from the planes to the power shaft as the planes operate.

5. A current motor comprising a Hume, a pair of planes arranged in said flume adapted to move longitudinally of the fiume, a power shaft arranged substantially centrally of the flume, a pair of drums on said power shaft for each plane, a pair of cables for each plane having part thereof looped around the respective drums, a clutch disk rigidly secured to said shaft between each pair of drums, a clutch member carried by each of the drums, means for shifting said clutches into and out of engagement with said Aclutch disk, means for driving in a reverse direction. said drums when disconnected from said disk, means for connecting the driving means to the drums for driving same in a reverse direction.

(i. A current motor comprising a flume, a power shaft, two pairs of drums on the power shaft, a clutch for each drum for connecting and disconnecting the same with the power shaft, a plane for each pair of drums arranged in the flume, a cable for each of said drums having the ends connected with the respective planes and part looped around the respective drums, guiding means for said cables whereby the ends of the cables approach the planes in opposite directions so that thevplanes moving in one direction will pull the cables and will be pulled by the cables when moving in the opposite direction, and means carried by the planes for operating said clutches at the end of the power strokes.

7. A current motor of the character described comprising a flume, a power shaft, two pairs of drums arranged on said shaft, a clutch for each drum for connecting the saine with said shaft, a cable connected with each of said drums, a power plane for each of said pairs of drums arranged in said flume connected with said cables for operating the same, each of said power planes having a sliding frame fitting the flume and a blade structure formed with a plurality of sections, means for normally locking the respective blade structures in line with the respective frames, means for successively releasing said sections as the planes reach the end of their respective power strokes, means for moving said sections to a horizontal position ready to move under the action of gravity downwardly pivotally to an operative position, a supporting arm for preventing the downward movement of said sections until the respective frames are moved back to their starting points, means for releasing said arm, and means for shifting said clutches at the end of each power `stroke of said planes.

8. A current motor comprising a flume, a power shaft, a pair of planes formed to lit the flume, a pair of drums on said power shaft for each of said planes, a cable for each of said drums, said cables being connected to the respective planes so that one plane will move on the power stroke while the opposite plane will move on the return stroke, each of said planes having a pivotally mounted power blade, a catch or locking device for each of said power blades, means for automatically releasing said locking catch at the end of the power stroke for each blade whereby vsaid blades will be moved by the water to substantially a horizontal position, means for connecting and disconnecting said drums with said power shaft, means for causing the drums of each plane when it finishes the power stroke to be reversed for pulling the plane back to the point at the beginning of the stroke, and means for moving said blades from the horizontal position on the down stream side of the respective plane to a horizontal position on the upstream side at the completion of each return stroke whereby the blades will again assume a position across the fiume for causing the planes to act as power members.

9. A current motor of the character described comprising a flume, a pair of planes arranged in said Hume and formed to fit the fiume so as to slide back and forth therein, a pivotally mounted power blade arranged in each plane, a catch for normally holding said power blade in an operative position, a stop arranged on the flume for releasing said catchso that the power blades will be moved upwardly pivotally substantially to a horizontal position by the water at the end of the power stroke of each blade, a pivotally mounted arm arranged on each plane, a push lever having a hook end extending from the end of the respective arms at right angles thereto when the arms are in a horizontal position, means for moving said arms and push lever so as to push the blade substantially horizontally from the down stream side of the planes to the upstream side of the planes immediately previous to the beginning of a new power stroke, a power shaft, and means for connecting said planes to said power shaft so that on the power stroke the power shaft will be rotated by the power from the planes, and on the return stroke the planes will be moved `by power taken from the power shaft.

l0. A current motor comprising a` Hume, a pair of power-planes arranged in said hnne, a pair of .cables connected with each of said planes, a power shaft, a drum loosely mounted on said power shaft lconnected with each of said cables .so as to move the cables between each pair of drums, a elutchinember carried by each of said drums, means for shifting one` of saidiclutehes-at the end of the power stroke of each plane, and ineans driven by said power shaft'for rotating the drums disconneetedfron'i said clutch plates whereby one of the planes will act as a driving memberforthepower-shaft and the power shaft will drive the idle drums for pulling the lother plane back to the beginning of its power stroke.

JOHN FRANKLIN LAYOOOK. 

